Information processing apparatus and method

Abstract

An information processing apparatus and method adapted to automatically convert contents edited by a user into a description language that is independent of platforms. Personal computers execute authoring software, convert the contents edited by the user into a markup language document, and transmit it to a server via the Internet. The server stores the markup language document supplied from the personal computer into a HDD and executes a markup language processing processor to develop the markup language document into a markup language document tree structure, which is stored in the HDD.

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:
 editing means for editing contents; 
 converting means for converting said contents, when storing said contents edited by said editing means, into a predetermined description language; 
 storage means for storing said contents written in said predetermined description language, said contents being converted by said converting means; 
 translating means for requesting from another information processing apparatus the distribution of said contents, receiving said predetermined description language developed into a tree structure from said another information processing apparatus, and translating the received predetermined description language into a predetermined program code, 
 wherein the predetermined program code is edited by the editing means such that the edited predetermined program code is automatically converted into another predetermined description language, said another predetermined description language stored in said storage means; and 
 transmitting means for transmitting said stored another predetermined description language to said another information processing apparatus, wherein said another information processing apparatus develops said transmitted another predetermined description language into another tree structure. 
 
     
     
       2. The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said editing means stores an editing history for said contents and said converting means converts said editing history stored in said editing means into said predetermined description language. 
     
     
       3. The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , still further comprising:
 display means for executing said predetermined program code translated by said translating means to display said corresponding contents. 
 
     
     
       4. The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said predetermined description language is an XML language. 
     
     
       5. An information processing method comprising the steps of:
 editing contents; 
 converting said contents, when storing said contents edited by said editing step, into a predetermined description language; 
 controlling the storage of said contents written in said predetermined description language, said contents being converted by said converting step; 
 requesting the distribution of said contents from another information processing apparatus; 
 receiving said predetermined description language developed into a tree structure from said another information processing apparatus; 
 translating the received predetermined description language into a predetermined program code, 
 wherein the predetermined program code is edited by the editing means such that the edited predetermined program code is automatically converted into another predetermined description language; 
 storing said another predetermined description language; and 
 transmitting said stored another predetermined description language to said another information processing apparatus, wherein said another information processing apparatus develops said transmitted another predetermined description language into another tree structure. 
 
     
     
       6. A recording medium recording a computer-readable program comprising the steps of:
 editing contents; 
 converting said contents, when storing said contents edited by said editing step, into a predetermined description language; 
 controlling the storage of said contents written in said predetermined description language, said contents being converted by said converting step; 
 requesting the distribution of said contents from another information processing apparatus; 
 receiving said predetermined description language developed into a tree structure from said another information processing apparatus; 
 translating the received predetermined description language into a predetermined program code, 
 wherein the predetermined program code is edited by the editing means such that the edited predetermined program code is automatically converted into another predetermined description language; 
 storing said another predetermined description language; and 
 transmitting said stored another predetermined description language to said another information processing apparatus, wherein said another information processing apparatus develops said transmitted another predetermined description language into another tree structure. 
 
     
     
       7. An information processing system including an information processing apparatus for editing contents and an information distribution apparatus for distributing said contents, said information processing apparatus comprising:
 editing means for editing contents; 
 converting means for converting, when storing said contents edited by said editing means, converting said contents into a predetermined description language; and 
 transmitting means for transmitting said contents written in said predetermined description language to said information distribution apparatus, and 
 said information distribution apparatus comprising:
 storage means for receiving and storing said contents written in said predetermined description language sent from said information processing apparatus; 
 developing means for developing said stored contents written in said predetermined description language into a tree structure; and 
 distributing means for distributing, to said information processing apparatus, said contents written in said predetermined description language having said tree structure developed by said developing means, wherein 
 said information processing apparatus comprises: 
 translating means for translating the received predetermined description language having said tree structure into a predetermined program code, wherein the predetermined program code is edited by said editing means such that the edited predetermined program code is automatically converted into another predetermined description language; and 
 transmitting means for transmitting said another predetermined description language to said another information processing apparatus, wherein said another information processing apparatus develops said transmitted another predetermined description language into another tree structure. 
 
 
     
     
       8. The information processing system according to  claim 7 , wherein said information processing apparatus further comprises:
 display means for executing said predetermined program code translated by said translating means to display said corresponding contents.